Regional Ministers, Metropolitan, Municipal and District Chief Executives from the Southern part of Ghana comprising of Greater Accra, Central and Western Region have been sensitised on the YouStart programme.

The sensitisation programme which took place in Accra on Thursday, 26th May 2022 was aimed at empowering the Metropolitan, Municipal and District Chief Executives on the programme in order to ensure they can mobilise the youth in the areas for YOUSTART.

Speaking at the programme, the Deputy Minister, John Kumah indicated that YOUSTART will stimulate growth in the local economy sector of Ghana and help reduce our unemployment numbers.

“Currently, 92% of enterprises in Ghana are micro, small and medium enterprises and they can contribute to 83% of employment in Ghana and a 70% contribution to the nations Gross Domestic Product, hence if you want to transform the economy you must pay attention to it” he said.

Present at the event was the Minister For Local Government, Decentralisation and Rural Development and Member of Parliament for Okere, Dan Botwe, Deputy Minister for Local Government, Decentralisation and Rural Development and Member of Parliament for Akwapim South, Osei Bonsu Amoah, Chief Executive's of the National Entrepreneurship and Innovation Programme and the Ghana Enterprises Agencies, Kofi Ofosu Nkansah and Kosi Yankey-Ayeh respectively

YouStart is being funded by the Electronic Levy.

About YOUSTART

YOUSTART is a programme that seeks to support young entrepreneurs to gain access to capital, training and technical skills that will enable them start, build and grow their own businesses. This initiative targets young people and students between the ages of 18-35 years who have brilliant business ideas and viable businesses, and supports these individuals to nurture, grow and expand their businesses and job creation in the economy.

Government through the YOUSTART programme intends to build an entrepreneurial nation by providing some of the key enablers that make entrepreneurship a success. These include: access to finance and markets, mentorship, strategic partnership and digital linkages, technical assistance and business advisory support service.

Given the high rate of youth unemployment in the country, Government intends to use the YOUSTART programme to create more jobs for the economy and to support the expansion and growth of Ghanaians businesses within the next 3 years.